July Community Meeting Recap
Energy and anticipation were in the air inside, as the sun was setting outside the Charter School, overflowing with interested residents and various media for last night’s (7/19/12) long awaited discussion of the proposed “largest outlet shopping mall in Hawaii,” to be built in Kihei. Too bad the developers refused to participate.
The meeting commenced before an overflowing audience of well over 200 with a short presentation by KCA’s Daniel Kanahele to explain what KCA testified to the Council’s General Plan Committee concerning South Maui in the Maui Island Plan, and how the committee reacted in their voting.
Then it was onto the main topic, with a detailed presentation by Mark Hyde on the history of the area proposed for the huge Eclipse two mall complex,and the legal land use situation (See companion handout below pix,) followed by a complementing briefer traffic analysis by Victoria Huffman, before they both joined permaculturist Michael Howden and former Planning Director Mike Foley to compose a knowledgeable panel moderated by KCA’s Jon Miller.
Look for news reports of the meeting on KHON-TV Ch 2 , Maui TV News, Maui News, Maui Weekly and MauiNow for more details, and a complete meeting telecaste on Akaku TV soon.
Remember the July meeting has moved to Akaku TV Studio at 333 Dairy Rd Kahului on Tuesday 7/24/12 beginning at 6:00 PM for the County Primary Election Candidates Forum, so you can watch it live on CH 53 from home. See you on August 21. Mahalo.
I. Summary of Hawaii Land Use Laws
A. The State:
The Hawaii Land Use Commission (LUC) has the responsibility to classifyHawaii’s lands into one of four categories: urban, rural, agricultural or conservation.
- Property owners may petition the LUC for a change in classification. (HRS 205-4 (a).)
- Upon filing a petition to reclassify land, the LUC conducts a hearing. Notice of the hearing is required to be given to the public. (HRS 205-4 (b).) Citizens can appear and testify. (HRS 205-4 (c).)
- If a petition is approved, LUC rules empower the Commission to impose conditions “to assure substantial compliance with representations made by the petitioner in seeking a boundary amendment.” (HAR 15-15-90 (a).) Counties are responsible for enforcing conditions imposed.
- LUC rules mandate that every boundary amendment be conditioned on the petitioner developing the land in substantial compliance with the representations made to the Commission. “Failure to so develop the reclassified area may result in reversion of the reclassified area to its former classification . . . .” (HAR 15-15-90 (e) (1).)
- LUC rules also mandate that a successful petitioner file annual reports with the Commission detailing progress made on the approved project and addressing compliance “with the conditions imposed.” (HAR 15-15-90 (e) (3).)
B. The County:
Zoning within state approved land districts is reserved to the counties. (HRS 205-5)
Zoning must implement community plans.
- Zoning regulates land use in the county “in accordance with” the land use directives of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the county charter and the general and community plans of the county. (M.C. Chapter 19.)
- Community plans are developed with input from the state, county agencies and the general public, and are to be based on “sound policy and information.” (M.C. 280B.070.)
- The Kihei-Makena Community Plan was adopted into law in 1998 and remains in effect.
- Community plans can be amended off cycle by petition and must be supported by either an EA or an EIS and subject to public testimony.
II. Case History
A. Land Use Commission Petition
In July 1994, Kaonoulu Ranch petitioned the LUC for a boundary amendment to reclassify 88 acres of land onPi’ilani Highwayof land from agricultural to urban.
Notice of the proceedings was published in the Maui News, informing the public that the ranch was seeking approval for a “commercial and light industrial subdivision.” The public was told to consult the Petition on file with the state and county for more information on the application.
The ranch’s petition proposed development of “KaonouluIndustrial Park, a 123-lot commercial and light industrial subdivision . . . .”
- The project was said to be needed to address a shortage of commercial and light industrial space “for businesses servicing the Kihei-Makena region.”
- “TheKaonouluIndustrial Parksite will emerge as a regional focal point for distribution activity as well as light industrial activity.”
- “The project is proposed as an industrial park which would be sold in fee simple to purchasers.”
- A site plan for the park was submitted (see attached).
- A marketing report was presented, describing pent up demand for sites in Kihei and describing demand for services of suppliers of materials and a variety of business services, including repair and maintenance, management and accounting, etc.
- A traffic study was presented, stating “Because the project is expected to provide industrial space in support of resort, residential and other development, in theSouth Mauiarea, regional traffic impacts would be positive . . . .”
B. Land Use Commission Decision and Order
Kaonoulu Ranch’s Petition was approved in 1995, subject to 20 conditions:
- Condition 1: Obtain amendment of the Kihei-Makena Community Plan and get an appropriate zoning change.
- Condition 5: ImprovePi’ilani Highwayat the intersection withKaonoulu Streetand “. . . provide for a frontage road parallel toPi’ilani Highwayand other connector roads within the Petition area . . . .”
- Condition 15: “Petitioner shall develop the Property in substantial compliance with the representations made to the Commission.”
- Conditions 16 – 19: Record the conditions against the property to bind current and future owners.
C. Community Plan Amendment/Update
As required by Condition 1, the Kihei-Makena Community Plan was updated and enacted into law in 1998. It remains in effect today.
- The community plan specifically designates the property “LI” defined as “Light Industrial. This is for warehousing, light assembly, service and craft-type industrial operations.”
- The plan also states that industrial space south of Ohukai and mauka ofPi’ilani Highway(where the property is located), should “limit retail businesses or commercial activities to the extent that they are accessory or provide service to the predominate light industrial use. These actions will place industrial use near existing and proposed transportation arteries for the efficient movement of goods.”
D. Re-Zoning
In 1998, Kaonoulu Ranch sought re-zoning for theKaonouluIndustrial Park. The application was based on the same representations made to the LUC, that the property be developed into a light industrial park. An identical “illustrative” site plan was submitted.
The property was re-zoned “M-1 Light Industrial” by the County in 1999.
- The CountyCodedefines M-1 Light Industrial as follows: “The M-1 light industrial district is designed to contain mostly warehousing and distribution types of activity, and permits most compounding, assembly, or treatment of articles or materials with the exception of heavy manufacturing and processing of raw materials. Residential uses are excluded from this district.” (M.C. 19.24.010 – Generally. Emphasis added.)
- The following code section, M.C. 19.24.020, outlines a host of acceptable uses in an M-1 light industrial zone, including commercial activities. [The county posits that this section negates the preceding section, ignoring the meaning of the word “mostly” in the definition of light industrial and, one can argue, common sense.]
E. Subsequent History
- Kaonoulu Ranch decided not to develop the property, informed the LUC of such and sold the property to Maui Industrial Partners, LLC, in 2005, subject to the LUC’s conditions.
- Maui Industrial Partners, LLC, sold three fourths of the property to Pi’ilani Promenade South, LLC and Pi’ilani Promenade North, LLC in September 2010; one forth of the property was retained for 250 workforce housing units for Wailea 670.
- In January 2012, the Maui News published an article indicating that the property would be developed into a large shopping center and outlet mall.
- The developer’s web site indicates that the project will consist of 700,000 square feet of leasable retail shopping space, and will be the largest outlet mall inHawaii. Also, the intersection of Kaonoulu and Pi’ilani is said to become the largest intersection inMauiCounty, drawing traffic island-wide.
- An independent traffic engineer recently calculated that the difference in traffic between the proposed light industrial park and the 700,000 retail shopping complex is 25,000 additional car trips per day.
- No amendment of the community plan has ever been sought or obtained. No zoning change has been sought or obtained to support a purely retail project .
- This spring the Planning Director presented at a monthly KCA meeting, stating that the project was entitled years ago, that nothing could be done to address it and questioning why members of the public did not appear to be heard when they had a chance in 1994 before the LUC and 1998 before the County Planning Commission – both when the project was a 123- lot light industrial park.
- No frontage or connector roads are planned by the developer, according to grading plans recently approved by the County. (See attached plan overview.)
- The light industrial park presented to the LUC will no longer be built; the new project will be 100% retail with no light industrial uses. No new traffic or marketing studies have been prepared or presented nor has the public been given an opportunity to be heard on the impact the new project with have on south Maui, the effect big box stores will have on local retailers and existing shopping centers, the effect on traffic, and incongruity with the community plan and light industrial zoning.
- Fifteen annual reports have been filed with the LUC by the owners of the property, all claiming that the property will be developed as represented to the Commission in 1994 and omitting reference to the fact that no frontage or connector roads will be built or that the project has changed from a light industrial park into a regional shopping center and outlet mall.
- In April 2012, Maui Tomorrow, South Maui Citizens for Responsible Growth and Daniel Kanehele filed an appeal with the Maui County Board of Variances and Appeals, challenging the grading permits, zoning, etc. issued by the county for the retail shopping centers.
- In May 2012, Maui Tomorrow, South Maui Citizens for Responsible Growth and Daniel Kanehele filed a motion with the LUC seeking to have the urban land reclassification retracted for breach of conditions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LEGAL FUND, GO TO: maui-tomorrow.org
DEVELOPER INFORMATION
WEBSITE http://eclipsedevelopmentgroup.com/
EXECUTIVE TEAM NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS: http://eclipsedevelopmentgroup.com/about.htm
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Please post the handout from last night’s meeting? So we can send when we start our letter writing campaign AGAINST this developer for not having the proper land use approvals to build.
THANKS!!!
Handout material is below the pictures.
This makes me sad to have the KCA misrepresent the community of Kihei, you really have to read up on how the rest of the community feels about this project and how they feel towards the KCA on the Mauinow.com article on this meeting.
Dear Anonymous: Where do we read about those who favor this project? I’d like to hear/read some positive comments as so far you are the only person I’ve heard of who is FOR this mega mall.
Any company building anything on Maui needs to follow the current ordinances and get current permits. This project does not meet them and until they do, work must stop.
the community is divided, but it seems much more are opposed to the mega malls than are for them. see the maui now poll.
Apparently people can read about those who favor this project right here on this website. If the project did not meet the current ordinances and get current permits then how are they working to build it today? Everything they are doing is current, permitted, and legal. Check it out and then watch them do it. They own it, they paid for it, they have the law to support it. This is how it works here. For another way of life, may I suggest moving to Atu island.
Jobs and stimulus
Growth not stagnation
Forward into the future
I will open a business at Maui Outlets when this is finished and I will support the community in more ways than I do now.
Just like the roundabout – the community was divided and so many naysayers were wrong. Once these land owners have completed their rightful plans for their property, Kihei will have a shining gem that will finally attract people from all over the Kingdom. Add in a few thousand new homes, a new hospital, a brewery, and you will start to have a strong south Maui destination. Just think of all the tax revenue that will be generated. Go do something that will make Kihei proud.
There have to be other economic engines to support the local economy besides tourism. High-Tech, Healthcare, Higher Education, these are all well-paying positions in growth fields and to service these professionals’ lives, Maui needs the options and capabilities that a positive development like this adds to the island.
I own a house directly across the street from the mall. I could care less if they build a mall.
In case you are wondering why people like me don’t show up at your meetings to speak out for the mall it is because 1) it is apparent that – no matter the issue – your organization is consistently anti-growth and anti business and isn’t interested in hearing and will not be receptive to alternate opinions and 2) no matter the issue: Superferry, runway lengthening, harbor enhancements, affordable housing, even the roundabout – you are part of the “all no, all the time” contingent on the island. It’s always the same: *spoken in a whiny, soft voice* but…but… what about (check one or more) [] the whales [] the traffic [] the environment [] the water [] the runoff [] invasive species [] “the aina” [] the drug dealing homeless hordes from Oahu.
There’s something really sad here a lot of people are forgetting, don’t even really know, seem to truly understand, or give much consideration.
Hawaii is a WORLD CLASS TOURIST DESTINATION! Let’s think about that for a few minutes and what that means in the eyes of the world, this is a very important point! It’s also something we should never forget, because when we do, then look out!
So now that we’ve considered the above thought, what does that mean to you? The truth is it means different things to different people, but for the world it’s still painted as a picture of an island paradise of white sandy beaches, warm sunshine, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and if you think shopping malls fits right there into the list, I beg to differ, because it’s not how the tourist industry markets the Hawaiian islands. The fact is the tourism industry does not market Hawaii as a developed industry, buildings, shopping malls, etc., it’s marketed as a island paradise getaway from the rat race of society! If you don’t believe me then go out and surf Google and look at all the tourism on Hawaii and see how there’s really nothing about Costco, Walmart, Kmart, Home Depot, shopping malls, etc., because people coming on vacation aren’t looking for this, would you?
So you are now possibly thinking, why should I care, I need to survive, I need a job and I want deals when I go shopping, great, so do I! But I believe Kihei is very small and not the right type of community for this project, I’m not against it, I’m against where it’s being put, so build it somewhere else! I also believe that if we start thinking that living in Hawaii, that this is the only way to survive, adding in a typical western business, with no thought for really protecting and building a better tourist industry, then one day something like this might really create a negative impact on the tourist economy for our island.
The balancing act of locals vs tourism and surving might seem difficult at times, but one thing is very CLEAR here, we SURVIVE because of TOURISTS, make no mistake about that! Now 2 years later down the road, this could become very real, the roadways of Kihei remain the same size, but now 5 times the traffic because just about every local on the island now shops at Kihei and because of the new business it has created a bigger local population. Because we have such a limited infrastructure this boom could become such a shock to such a small community that it really has the opposite effect, that through out time as word travels about the major congestion of Kihei, you truly might find tourism flocking somewhere else to stay and spend money.
Let’s be honest, you’re going to go on a vacation next year to Bali, or some far away exotic island get away in the Caribbean, are you with me on the same page? So when you are planning this exciting exotic destination getaway, are you wondering if there’s going to be a Costco when you get there or some nice malls to shop at? I highly doubt it and I hope you get my point, so do most tourists, in fact this is the last thing most are considering or want to see, most of them want to get away from it all. Now this doesn’t mean everyone, there are certainly those that still want their microwave or cellphone in Bali, but that’s still not everyone, and is this image we want for Kihei or Maui, to start turning it into a cement jungle everywhere you look?
Change is nice, growth helps, but what kind of growth do we really need, do we really need a shopping mall to have a better economy in Kihei? Of course not, it’s just your typical western idea and attitude towards growth and making a dollar! Does everyone seem to think this is the only way for a better future? I certainly hope not. Given the fact of living in Hawaii there are much better ways and if we don’t believe this, then we are just kidding ourselves!
Since we are this World Class Destination as I pointed out, then why aren’t we actually considering making things geared towards producing something that fits more in line with this thinking? Why not a Hawaiian Culture Center, or something more vacation tourism appealing, activities developed for the tourist market and building more jobs in line with the Hawaiian way of life and tourism, anyone getting my point here?
This is a tourist destination so let’s build tourism not shopping malls and honestly if you live in Kihei like I do, in fact I’ve lived here 20 years, and you’re dying for this, I feel sorry for you that with all the stores here already, you aren’t satisfied with what is here and you need more than what we already have on Maui!
Also what really is the percentages of people that go shopping on Oahu, are they that extreme, that people think we need this, because it’s coming from that level, I bet if we really looked and researched this, we are probably going to find it’s not that big of a percentage of locals. Also what is truly the percentage of people on this island or in this community that really wants this? I get the feeling this is just a smoke screen from a minority pushing it down our throats to be made to look like a majority when it’s not.
The JUDICIAL system for matters like this really need to change, this is America, the democracy, land of the free, right? So where is the VOTE for this, I say we need to have votes on something like this, just because we voted on politicans that are now in charge of these desicions, doesn’t mean we agree on everything these people do and in fact we don’t know how they’re going to work out until they get in office and start working for the people, by then we may come to realize, we’re not happy with what we’re seeing, just like something as this is! So for a SAFETY NET, a law should be in place that the ONLY way something like this can come into a community is when the people have voted and decided, not the people running our towns!
People are trying to make it seem like we need these things and want these things, well, everyone has moved here for different reasons and lives here for different reasons, but in all honesty didn’t most of us move here to have a simpler, slower way of life, something more unique, not just your typical American way of life, if not, then I really don’t get why people are here on this island, if all you moved here was for making a BUCK then packing bag and leaving when you make your BUCK, then you’re not the kind of person good for this economy.
Let’s also be honest about some things here, where on this island can a person really go and what can you really do, that you need so many toys, clothes gadgets and gizmos, that you don’t have enough already? I’ve had the same half a dozen pair of shorts and shirts for the past 5 years. Being American with to many uptown American types that want all their fancy things is what is going to be the destruction of this place, I’m sorry to say it, but the truth is, being American and being a part of America is really our biggest threat here! Also the FACT that Hawaii is transient, people just come and go and ruin this place with no care in the world!
Create jobs, create business, make money, enjoy life, no one is saying not to, but what is going on here is your TYPICAL American approach to this plan, build and make it all like everywhere else in America and that is what needs to stop! Maui needs people that care to PROTECT this ASSET called HAWAII & TOURISM and treat it with the RESPECT it deserves and stop treating it like it’s every other place in the USA, because it’s not. But at the rate we’re going that is what it’s going to be, just another place in the USA, not to different from another!
What Kihei really needed first was a High School, so where’s that, oh but we’re getting a shopping mall first, that shows me the priorites are on PROFITS, not the welfare of a community, come on how can you say it is, when you put this before a school it’s TOTAL BS! Also consider our DRAINAGE or lack of it in Kihei, don’t people pay attention to when it just rains for one day and how flooded our streets are? OH so what happened to REAL CARE for a community, where a better DRAINAGE system should of been built for this community LONG BEFORE a shopping mall!
I’m all for development, but the stupidity of this is beyond me, that it goes to show, no one here building this really cares, after all it’s just a shopping mall and Maui has plenty of those already, so we really need more stores? NO, but if we really cared, then we’d build something that really mattered for a COMMUNITY & TOURISM to keep on helping to build this WORLD CLASS DESTINATION in the RIGHT direction and if you think it’s a shopping mall, then I think people really need to take a cold hard look at this and what I’m talking about.
Wailuku & Kahului is the DOWNTOWN of Maui, it’s always been the COMMERCIAL center of the island and Kihei is a small beach side residential tourist community, so tell us America, you build mega malls in small town communities and not in your big down town areas? I may of lived here 20 years but I haven’t forgotten, people will live in small urban communities like this, but they don’t have HUGE commerce going on them either like this. What we have here are people that know it’s booming and want to take advantage of it to EXPLOIT that FACT, to just build anything that shows to give the best possible profits for those involved! This is exactly what it’s all about!
Toss this also around your mind, how many small town communities in the mainland of around 20,000 to 30,000 have Mega Malls in them? Last time I checked you never saw Mega Malls in towns of this size, so why here then?
This is just madness to strip apart a small town and try and turn it into a big town, I’m sorry folks but this is NOT BIG URBAN AMERICA, it’s little Kihei!
Also PLEASE LISTEN UP! Kihei has how many ROADS? –> KIHEI RD & PIILANI –> TWO!!!
Has anyone SERIOUSLY LOOKED around to notice that there is no ROOM for more roads? This is WHY we can’t keep building the community of Kihei into some mega town, there is no ROOM!
1. Do you honestly think this company Eclipse Development Group sat back and had a bleeding heart for the people of Kihei and out of the kindness of their hearts decided, that this was in our BEST interests and said we have to build a business and help these people? HECK NO, this is a business venture, this company sees an opportunity and takes it and doesn’t care who they step on to make their dreams come possible! This is corporate America business, they are doing what is in their best interests not yours and don’t you ever forget that! They care nothing about you, I’m also beginning to think neither does the Mayor!
2. People you need to really wake up here, this is just corporate USA trying to cram corporate BOX STORE – CHAIN STORES down our throats!
3. The FACT that we are even having this type of discussion about a SHOPPING MALL in Kihei, of all places on Maui, in todays FALLEN economy, is an ABSOLUTE JOKE, and all the kiddies can think about is going shopping! I’m SORRY people but that just goes to show our STUPIDITY! My GOD PEOPLE are we really getting this stupid in LIFE? I’m sorry but all you’re doing is selling yourselves out for MATERIALISTIC GREED! Get a life, grow up, buy a surfboard at least for God’s sake and go out and ENJOY the beauty of Maui and REALIZE where you live and stop trying to HOMOGENIZE it!
4. A shopping mall in Kihei is not going to save our ECONOMY and it’s not going to improve it, you’re fooling yourselves if you think it is, and in time you will see the truth, but by then it will be to late!
LOOK around Kihei & Maui and SEE how SLOW business is this summer!!! 2014 is not going to get any better, WHY? Because America, which Maui is a part of is TRILLIONS of dollars in DEBT and it AFFECTS US TOO, and if you don’t think the world economy has nothing to do with us, then you’re living in a cave! This to me is actually the BIGGEST aspect I didn’t hit on, but honestly it’s the BIGGEST, because no matter what we do here, if America continues to take a dive, then tourism will fall and no shopping mall is going to save us!
The TRUTH is, if we truly want to PROTECT ourselves into the future, of these hard times that are still plenty ahead, then we really NEED to WAKE UP & PROTECT our greatest ASSET here and not destroy it, because in the end, when the world is in chaos and for those that can still afford to take a vaction, people WILL look for better places in this world that holds up to those ideas of paradise and vacation getaways, because they will truly want to get away for a real vacation relaxation truly deserved!
If you ran a business would you destroy your greatest assets? Of course not, yet people that run this country or this island don’t seem to know how to protect those assets! What I see are short sighted, VERY SHALLOW visons of a VERY SMALL MINDED invidual here, not people with real intelligence!
Put it this way, if Kihei had a 700,000 square foot Hawiian culuture center built, anything on any level that your mind could imagine, this would be the most amazing thing the world has ever seen that Hawaii has created, NOW that is going to make for jobs, and keep us all in the game, something that truly matters for the long haul!
I suggest you start learning to make your shorts last longer like me! HA HA:)
ALOHA
They have the right to try. Succeed or fail, they own it and we should defend their right to make the effort. You can’t win if you can’t lose. Their property, their money, their concept. I don’t care if it is a water park or a circus or a space port or a medical marijuana farm – go ahead and try it. If you don’t support the ability of people to try, then you are in the wrong country. Oprah wants to try an organic farm. Mick Fleetwood wants to try a night club/restaurant. A & B wants to try an industrial business park. Andaz wants to try a hotel…right down the line. Support their right to try. The market will determine success or failure. We have a system in place for zoning, planning, and approvals. If the all the departments and commissions approved all aspects of these entitlements, then those are the people that were selected and elected to make those decisions. Where was all the discussion over the past 15+ years when this property was going through the entitlement process? They went through the whole process, had a full review, earned the approvals and now it is going to be built. But still no hospital and still no high school. Your power is your money and your vote. Use them.
Doesn’t Maui already have enough failed shopping centers? (I’m thinking of the ghost town like Maui Mall, Ka’ahumanu Center and that eyesore in Lahaina. For whatever reason, malls don’t work here. When will people learn? Need your shopping? Go to Oahu or try the internet. We don’t need another mall.
The county has taken another giant step forward once again proving that the wishes of Maui’s people are still completely irrelevant and we can ignore the planning process again. Just one question, “Where’s the water for all of this?” Apparently, it’s been here all the time. We’ve suffered through over a decade of drought. How many local and haole families still won’t be able to build even a shack because access to water is not available to the average Mauian?
Somehow there’s plenty H2O for These new monster malls, a HUGE police station (W/ new prison?), a high school and Wailea 670 trophy homes for rich outsiders.
Apprarently there always has been plenty of water though it’s tightly controlled by a few and their county lackeys. How did we ever end up here?
How come the county planners didn’t bother to insist that the hotels provide real parking so that local people could easily access and enjoy all of OUR beaches? Why wasn’t that a part of the deal before biulding these mega projects?
The answer is really very simple. We have the best politicians that money can buy. This isn’t new. ghost town mega malls. Our water, electric bills and gasoline bills are going to skyrocket (again)as our elected officials and their beaurocracies continue to stuff their pockets w/ bribes and kickbacks from the megamonsters new and old. By the way, there aren’t going to be any school supplies available in our new high school. My guess is that the school and affordable housing won’t get biult but the police palace and the Monster malls will.
In the meantime, Kihei infrastructure continues to crumble. The developers and Maui’s corrupt county government are laughing at you. Whatcha gonna do about it? What can you do about it? Answers?
this is to “DAS” 1.if you have the same clothes for years thats your problem we shouldn’t have to follow in your foot steps you hippie, have you been living under a rock?? you should look around and see how people are now days we all want the new things that comes out, the new looks in clothing and accessories, we don’t want our kids and ourselves to walk around looking like we don’t take care of ourselves. 2. you want your high school well complain to the DOE not this developer, its not their problem that they can come up with the money to build their mall and the DOE is broke. The developers shouldn’t have to put a hold on their mall to pay and build a high school which they have nothing to do with thats just “STUPID”. 3. haven’t you been watching the news or reading a newspaper to hear that our economy is booming here in Hawaii and not struggling like you think it is, and how can you say business is slow when actually business is booming also, airlines announcing that they are adding more flights to keep up with demands for flights to come to Maui and that mostly all flights are booked and sold out months in advance from not only the US but Canada, Korea, China, Australia, and not to mention NYC and Washington DC, you are crazy to say that when they come here that they won’t shop at this mall or other big box stores cause trust me when i’m at Costco that’s the first thing i see are tourist families straight from the airport there to stock up on food for their time here, the housing market is picking up too, spending and arrivals from tourist are going up and surpassing 2007 record highs. I think its you who are crazy and small minded. Famous towns like Kihei wont stay small forever it grows with the crowd of people that comes to accommodate them, maybe not you cause you obviously don’t shop much or at all for clothes cause you made that perfectly clear. I also think its hilarious how many of you argue about oh where is the water gonna come from blah blah blah but yet no one argues when million dollar homes get built or when gated communities go up? and don’t go talking about protecting the aina, and yet when they choose to built these beach front homes right on the beach or destroy the beach with their seawalls ain’t none of you argue about that but yet you argue about something being built where there is nothing but dirt, dead keawe trees and dry grass. You may have moved here 20 years ago when times was much laid back and nothing mattered but the generation now it completely different we are different from your way of life and you need to respect that and not only think of yourself and how you live and think everyone should follow those guide lines cause you did good with your years old clothing. To be honest i’m coming to realize that this argument is completely unnecessary especially talking to you people, its like talking to a wall you guys already have your non development and non growth minds set so why even bother…us people that want to move forward in life and not get left behind shouldn’t have you negative people take us down and hold us back. And anyways its getting built so it is what it is.
If a mall is built in North Kihei as planned, I will look forward to availing myself of the stores and facilities of such a mall. I am thrilled by the prospect of a large mall on Piilani Hwy to replace acres of dried weeds that is fodder for fires. Maui has embraced many ‘big box’ outlets in Kahului and Maui will embrace a mall in Kihei. Such developments enrich our lives, provide jobs, and provide convenience and savings in gas for the people of Kihei. I hope the naysayers will learn to have a positive attitude for what will be a positive opportunity for Kihei residents.
Sincerely,
Geraldine deBeer,
a Kihei resident for 35 yrs.